1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a cleat. More particularly, this invention relates to a cleat to be used on golf shoes, which provides an excellent grip and bite on grass or turf without damaging the grass or turf. This invention also relates to a method for economically manufacturing plastic cleats.
2. Background Art
Pushpin type sharp metallic spikes are conventionally used on golf shoes. Metallic spikes do provide satisfactory grips and bites on grass or turf, however, metallic spikes will damage grass by the roots. Sharp metallic spikes are rather uncomfortable to wear, especially on hard surfaces such as asphalt roads. They will damage floors of clubhouses.
Plastic cleats have been developed to alleviate the problems associated with metallic spikes. However, conventional plastic cleats do not provide satisfactory grips and bites on grass because they do not effectively tangle with grass blades and stalks.
JP Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-262401 teaches a detachable plastic cleat 30 as shown in FIG. 12 of the accompanying drawings, which comprises a threaded shaft 31 and a plurality of flexible legs 32.
Although this plastic cleat 30 will not damage grass or floors of clubhouses, the cleat 30 cannot sufficiently support weight due to the structural flexibility of the legs 32. The legs 32 will open or will be completely deformed outwardly and lose their grip power on grass. The cleat 30 provides wearers with uncomfortable spongy and unstable feelings on hard surfaces. This cleat 30 structurally does not provide good resistance to abrasion and wears out rapidly. It may be possible to increase rigidity of the legs 32, however, then the cleat 30 will damage putting greens.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleat which provides satisfactory grips and bites on grass or turf by effectively tangling with grass blades and stalks.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleat which will not damage grass or turf or floors of clubhouses.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the descriptions that follow.